America's Dairyland Bike Team Races with Nutrition Messages
Byline: Lanette Harsdorf, WMMB Director and Beldenville, WI, dairy producer

A group of colorfully clad women are racing throughout Wisconsin carrying dairy messages on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers. Team America's Dairyland, a professional cycling team supported by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), consists of eleven women athletes who, in addition to competing in top-notch races, share dairy nutrition messages with Wisconsin school children.

When WMMB's relationship with Team America's Dairyland began five years ago, the concept joined a long list of outlets such as the Badger State Games, WIAA tournaments and classroom visits where WMMB shares dairy and nutrition messages with students and athletes. Team members carry Wisconsin dairy and nutrition messages wherever they go—whether it’s a race in Wisconsin, California or any other state or while visiting a Wisconsin school.

As time allows, the team members visit Wisconsin schools to talk with students about nutrition and eating for daily life and competition. These visits are coordinated by Wisconsin Dairy Council Regional Program Managers. The cyclists visit schools donning their highly visible America's Dairyland bike team apparel and speak to assemblies of students about nutrition and fitness and share how they eat to stay healthy and active. Each time a member of the team visits a school, young people are given the chance to visit with real life athletes and potential role models. With a wide audience of school children, the team stresses that whether or not the teens participate in a sport, it’s important to eat well and stay active because their bodies are growing. Students are reminded: "Your body operates on the food that you put into it." Messages lately have focused on the use of Chocolate Milk as a sport recovery drink. The athletes share their routines of enjoying Chocolate Milk after each race as a good source of the vitamins and nutrients that their bodies need after such a strenuous workout.

The team focuses on reaching out to teenage audiences in particular because nine out of ten teenage girls and seven out of ten teenage boys do not get the recommended calcium they need. The team members are excellent role models for this group of young adults who are creating life-long eating habits.

A milk mustache poster featuring the entire team is available for schools to promote nutrition and is given to all students who participate in an America's Dairyland bike team presentation. Members of the team often autograph posters, assuring even more impact from these important presentations.

When the team is out of the classroom and on the race courses, their gear speaks for itself. Hot pink and cow-spotted uniforms and specially-designed bikes make it easy for any fan to trace these racers to the Dairy State. Needless to say, this group of energetic women receives wide public exposure during their race season.

The racing schedule for the 2007 season will take the team to more than 30 races from April through September. Among them are the U.S. Criterium Championship in Downers Grove, Ill., Superweek in towns throughout Wisconsin, Wendy's International in Ohio and the Gateway Cup in St. Louis. They also will be racing in Madison, Muskego, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Neenah, Baraboo, Elkhorn, Whitewater, and Cudahy.

The members of the bike team have a wide variety of backgrounds. Outside of racing the team pursues a variety of demanding careers, including psychology and physical therapy and graduate school. Team members include:

Heather Albert, Eagle, ID
Rebecca Anderson, Madison, WI
Anna Rose Dierking, Madison, WI
Rachel Eichers, Madison, WI
Julie Foertsch, Madison, WI
Julie Schmitt, West Bend, WI
Heather Albert, Eagle, ID
Betsy Galenti, Pomona, CA
Cari Higgins, Boulder, CO
Kate Ross, Galena, IL
Betsy Schogren, Morgantown, WV

The next time you find yourself sharing the road with a cyclist, it could be one of the Team America's Dairyland athletes! For more information on the team, visit www.teamamericasdairyland.com.

Lanette Harsdorf has a degree in Physical Education from U.W. LaCrosse and has been a member of the WMMB board of directors since 2005. She and her husband, Jim, own and operate a 250-cow registered Holstein Farm near Beldenville. Lanette is actively involved in the Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee and the Pierce-Pepin Holstein Breeders. Lanette and Jim have four children—Jonathan, Kristina, Laura, and Justin.